The Gazette 1975

Book Reviews

Quraterly Review" and "The Modern Law Review". The publication of "Current Law" from 1947 has rightly been an outstanding success. All well known legal textbooks are mentioned. Sir Desmond Heap, a former President of the English Law Society, has sum- marised admirably the law of Local Government, while Master Jacob has dealt expertly with the intricacies of Civil Procedure. Mr. Tom Harper, former editor of the Law Society Gazette, has described the solicitors and barristers's profession. Finally, Mr. George, Joint Editor of "The Conveyancer" has written about some problems relating to Law and Equity such as Registra- tion of Title and Modern Conveyancing Practice. It will be seen that this interesting volume has not omitted any important part of legal history in the 19th century and will be an invaluable reference book. This book is aimed at students primarily for the English Law Society's examinations and although the usual warning as to the inapplicability of references to the 1925 Legislation has to be made the book is in fact quite useful for Irish students. Although it does not reach the high standard of Farand: Contract and Conveyance, it does aim at a more comprehensive treatment of the field of Conveyancing and is quite successful in this. Irish students should not proceed past the end of chapter 9 in the book, though Practitioners may well find some of the succeeding chapters of considerable assistance as long as they bear the warning about the 1925 Legislation in mind. J.F.B. E. L. G. Tyler — Cases and Statutes on Land Law; 255 pages; London: Sweet and Maxwell; paperback £2.50. This book, clearly aimed at the English Student of Property, presents the usual difficulty for Irish readers in that many of cases arise out of the provisions of the 1925 Law of Poverty Act or Land Registration Act, and indeed there are so many of these cases summarised in the book that it is difficult to recom- mend it at all to students in the Republic of Ireland. On the other hand Practitioners looking for helpful summaries of leading cases may well find it useful and regard the modest investment of £2.50 as reasonable. J.F.B. E. G. Bowman and E. L. G. Tyler — The Elements of Conveyancing; 444 pages, index 445-456. London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1972; paperback, £4.00.

Then and Now— 1799-1974; commemorating 175 years of Law Bookselling and Publishing (Sweet & Maxwell). 25cm., xii, 219p. London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1974; £7. It was a happy thought that inspired Messrs. Sweet & Maxwell, the well known law publishers to give an account of the numerous changes that have occurred in 175 years not only in their own publishing business but also in the broader general principles and practice of law. Professor Hood Phillips has, in the first chapter, given a brilliant synopsis of legal authors since 1800 from Bentham and Austin to Berriedale Keith, Jennings, Lauterpacht, Holdsworth and Dicey. Dr. Schmitthoff, with his customary clarity has dealt with Company Law authors, particularly Palmer and Charlesworth. Professor Simpson, in dealing with the Common Law, has stressed the rise of importance of legislation as a source of law, the development of academic law in the universities, and the decline of the jury in England in civil trials. Professor Mitchell, in dealing with Constitutional Law has brilliantly underlined how the patchwork character of the administrative state has gradually undermined the democratic process. One of the indirect results of deferring to the democratic process led to the establishment of many non-legal tribunals. He also deals with the problem of devolution par- ticularly in relation to Scotland and Wales; the idea that an unwarranted reliance on pragmatism and an over - reliance on constitutional change through politicians instead of through the Courts is noted. Professor Mitchell's list of obstacles working against the individual citizen — excessive centralisation, and excessive secrecy — are only too apparent. Finally, in dealing with the European Community Law, it is pointed out that the individual of a member State who has been affected by a provision of the Treaty of Rome, has remedies either in his national Court or in the European Community Court. Professor Hogan has succeeded in summarising Criminal Law in ten pages — a great achievement. Perhaps the most interesting chapter is that by Mr. Maxwell on the Development of Law Publishing. In 1822, the Associated Law Booksellers, including Sweet, Maxwell and Stevens was formed; the merger of Sweet & Maxwell Ltd. took place in 1889. Shaw & Sons purchased Butterworths in 1895, but the latter became a separate firm in 1905. Two experts on the subject, John Burke and Peter Allsop, deal with "Law Publishing To-day". Amongst the numerous periodicals mentioned are "The Law

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